Chile To Again Host Dakar Rally In '15 After Reaching Agreement With ASO

Chile "will once again be able to host the Dakar Rally, due to a drop in the cost of the event, as well as measures to protect environmental and archaeological heritage," according to XINHUA.
Sports Minister Natalia Riffo said that "agreements reached with the organizers of the controversial race will cut the costs to the host country, and ensure protections are in place for ecological and historical sites." Riffo said that the rugged off-road race has cost as much as $6M in the past, adding it cost $5.5M in '13, $4M this year and again $4M in '15, "thanks to accords reached with the French firm that organizes the race, the Amaury Sport Organization."
Riffo added that Amaury "has also pledged to contribute funds to the rebuilding of towns affected by April's powerful 8.2-magnitude earthquake without detailing the amounts" (XINHUA, 5/29).